I got a GPA less than a 2.0 for my freshman year.. I'm on the verge of a breakdown..

@noname87 said “Without a strong foundation in math, engineering will be VERY difficult”

This is true, except that “VERY difficult” probably should have said “IMPOSSIBLE”. You MUST have a very strong foundation in math if you want to study engineering. I think the fact that you university grades are nearly as good as you high school math grades is a testament to how very hard you are trying in university.

@bopper has some ideas for how to improve your academic performance. However, these ideas are very good ideas for someone who already has the necessary background.

I am actually wondering whether there are schools that teach a person to be a mechanic, on the basis that there clearly is a need for aerospace mechanics. Regardless I think that you need to find a more appropriate path.

@DadTwoGirls is right. What I really wanted to suggest was that if you really wanted to pursue engineering was:

Go to a community college and retake pre-calculus. If you cannot master that material then you need to find a different career path. To be honest, if have the math aptitude to be an engineer then this should be an easy subject for you. It is not worth the tuition at a four year college to take these type of math foundation courses. If you pass a high grade then try Calculus at a CC to see how you do. Then evaluate where to go from there.

Your HS grade in physics is also troublesome assuming it was a non-calculus based. Do you have the ability to visualize and also think in three dimensions? A skill that will be critical for the engineering degree you want. In my mind, it’s not really a skill you can easily teach. You either think that way or not.

Another thought is you need to seriously evaluate your study skills. Whatever you decide to do, go to your schools tutoring center and ask for help improving your studying skills. It is highly likely that you HS studying habit are not adequate for college.

What are your grades in your other classes?

You should drop out temporarily and don’t come back until you’ve identified the problem which was causing you to fail and fix it. A major you are not apt for? Mental illness? Immaturity? Bad social atmosphere and/or living arrangement?

The worst thing you can do is do poorly another semester because it means that it will be even harder to repair your GPA.

I’m with @bodangles - if you were getting C’s in these courses in high school, it was not a good omen for success in them in college, which is much tougher (I don’t care how many AP’s you take - college is different). Sometimes we have to course correct when reality comes crashing down. You could probably do very well in a host of other majors, but engineering just may not be your destiny. Smart people assess their strengths and weaknesses honestly and adjust accordingly.

Meteorology is considered as an engineering major. People seem to disagree, especially when you ask an engineer.

I don’t think you are meant for this major. And you may have to transfer schools – you may not even have a choice given your current GPA. Sorry this is happening, but I think you will be more successful and ultimately happier in a less math intensive major.

“Engineer” is actually a protected title (https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/what-pe) and ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission does not currently accredit any meteorology degrees so…no it’s not. Some school somewhere might offer meteorological engineering as a cross between the two, but meteorology is not engineering any more than pure chemistry is engineering.

Is this the basis for your claim that engineering students don’t need computers? You think you count as one because you might go into meteorology?

You ill need a fair amount of math for meteorology too. Have a look at this article and see if it makes sense to you: https://www.lms.ac.uk/sites/lms.ac.uk/files/Publications/Roulstone%20-%20Impact%20of%20Mathematics%20on%20Meteorology%20and%20Weather%20Prediction.pdf

You may need to start thinking outside the box for a completely different area.

PS: looking at your current college, meteorology sudents have to get through Calc 3 and differential equations, plus Physics for Engineers 3, not even countng the math based work in the major itself. Your college doesn’t have many non STEM options, so your parents’ wanting you to transfer somewhere else may be better for you in the long run, opening up othe potential majors.

What you’re describing is… 'it’s too hard '. You try and you think you get it but then the pieces don’t make sense. Someone explains it and you understand what they say but you can’t explain it to yourself. Some subjects lead to such confusion more often than others. There’s a reason so many students start in engineering then switch : it’s just really hard.
Even kids with straight A’s in math and science in high school struggle. Kids with C’s don’t stand a chance. Engineering is hard for all but it’s impossible for hard working kids who don’t ‘think’ like an engineer, just like you can’t become an artist if you don’t think like an artist. Your brain is formatted in a certain way, you have to find what yours does well.
Transfer back to your state school - which is it? You may have to go to community college first because you’ll need a 2.0/2.5 to transfer.
If you never partied, worked hard, and can’t pass basic foundational classes for your major the second time around, that major isn’t for you. Contrary to popular belief, 'you can do anything if you just apply yourself 'is not true. We all have limitations in the ways our brain works and these limitations are as real as physical limitations. You can practice forever and never become a pro basketball player if you’re 5’6.
If you like the field of aeronautics and aerospace, you can ask your adviser how one becomes a rocket mechanic. Or you can go into engineering technology. What about Management Information Science? Or you could look into all the jobs that exist at Cap Canaveral. I can guarantee you not everyone’s an engineer there. How did they get hired? What studies, what internships did they complete?

You could also explore other fields. (Meteorology is not one of them, because it requires excellence in math and physics.) I understand that your parents want you to have a good job that pays well, but you need to pick a path that offers you a chance to graduate and do well.
Tomorrow, go talk with your adviser. It’s an emergency. :slight_smile:

“Tomorrow, go talk with your adviser. It’s an emergency.”

Definitely do this before summer break. @MYOS1634 has explained things very well. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and we all need to find what we are good at.

What ended up happening @TheFlyingLotus?

First of all, I would transfer to a public state school in your area. I went to ERAU and I tell everyone to stay away. I graduated from there 4 years ago with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and nothing has come out of it. I get denied everywhere. You are wasting your time and money going there. Job placement is horrible and they tell you to apply on your own when you ask for help. I’m wondering how legal these schools are.

I have to agree with other poster a degree in meterology is on par with the workload and difficulty of an engineering student. There is no magic degree that makes you well off. While certain majors have higher incomes than others most people change careers today and even the most mundane career with luck, timing and talent be extremely lucrative. Do what you enjoy and have talent in as your chances of success have more to do with that than a specific major.

OP hasn’t been on since this thread was posted…